After Midnight
by cozimbatman
Summary: Join Sophie, Markl and Howl in the aftermath of what happened in Howl's Moving Castle. One-Shot.


**My first fan fiction ever, so I apologize for my bad writing, I love Sophie and Howl! So I did have a lot of fun writing this! This story is based on the movie by Studio Ghibli more than the book by Dianna Wynn Jones, I my hope my next chapter will be more creative, if I do a next chapter that is….Please review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howl's Moving Castle, sadly :(**

~Sophie~ _The last year had been a crazy, tormenting, adventurous type of year for young Sophie Hatter, she had been turned into a ninety year old women by a bizarre witch for something that wasn't her fault, she set up home in a moving castle, befriended a melodramatic fire demon , met a 'horrible' wizard that ate young girls hearts and to top things off young Sophie Hatter fell deeply and utterly in love with that unspeakable wizard that ate the hearts of young girls, but really Howl wasn't like that all, he was not horrible or unspeakable and did certainly not eat the hearts of young girls. He was a cunning eccentric sort of wizard and not to mention a very handsome man. Howl and Sophie had fallen in love, deeply. Sophie, Howl and young Markel a happy family, yes a very crazy year._

Sophie sat down on the red and white picnic blanket that was sprawled across the lawn, she breathed in deeply, taken back by the rich aroma of the flowers in the garden, and the sun's rays circled around the castle in the air, bathing them in golden light. Sophie leant back against Howls chest, breaking him from his day dream, he bent down his head lightly kissing her on the top of her head, and she smiled although he could not see. Sophie wondered how anyone could be this happy, this lucky; to have everything you could ever want.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, looking at the clouds passing by

"How can anyone be this happy?" he asked cheerily not expecting an answer to his question, Sophie looked up at his smiling face.

"That's exactly it, I feel as if something bad is going to happen, how can anyone be as happy as us?" she asked agitatedly, she looked at him for answer, he didn't, nothing, except the corners of his lips twinging threatening a smile. He laid her down on the picnic blanket taking Sophie with him, her head on his chest, he stroked her hair reassuringly.

"Sophie, we deserve this happiness, we love each other and why not be as happy as we can be" he explained to her still stroking her hair with his fingers, his other hand held hers resting on his chest , she couldn't help but smile, how could anyone when he said things like that, but Sophie still wasn't completely convinced.

"Let's just be us" he whispered in her ear, a wide grin spread across her face, she lifted her head off of his chest, she looked into the bright blue pools of eyes, much more beautiful than her own she had always thought, he responded to her gaze by propping himself on his elbow and leant toward her, she steadied herself on her hands like a mermaid on a rock and met his lips with hers, a soft dance of their lips, he touched her cheek with his other hand, as she leant in closer continuing the kiss, Howl's lips quivered in response. Suddenly Markel ran past them across the lawn, Hein following closely behind, interrupting their kiss, Howl let his black fringe of hair fall in front of his eyes, scowling at Markl from behind it, Sophie let out a giggle at Howl's reaction, Markl took one look at Howl and set off as fast as he could in the other direction.

As soon as Markel was out of sight he was smiling again. Howl laid back down on the blanket, softly pulling Sophie down toward him, wrapping his arms around her protectively, her head on his chest, she looked at the sky, it was fading into to sunset, from blue to purple, purple to black.

"It's that late already" Howl said surprised

"I should go make dinner" she said, starting to get up, but he quickly snatched up the blanket from underneath them and draped it over them, they were now lying on the grass.

"Let's just stay out a bit longer, it's too beautiful to leave" he insisted watching the newly appearing stars.

~Howl~ _The last year was different for Howl, Sophie changed Howl's life completely, he was a coward when they first met, a man that would run in the face of danger, but she changed him, changed him to be how he used to be; a brave, cunning, happy man, she breathed life into his whole world, and made him better. He was thankful for the day he helped her get away from those flirting soldiers, thankful for the night an old grey lady stowed herself away in his moving castle, but Sophie was totally unaware of that. _

They lay peacefully under the night sky, Sophie had fallen asleep in his arms quite long ago and Markl was starving but he didn't want to wake her, not when she looked as serene as she did. The stars were so bright, so big, he felt so close as if he could reach out his hand into the unknown and pluck one from the night, but he had learnt his lesson; never catch a falling star, but maybe if he hadn't of caught that falling star, he wouldn't have met Sophie.

"Howl….Howl" he awoke abruptly from his daydream to find Markl swinging his arms around in front of him and calling his name "Oh, I couldn't get your attention"

"Go and get dinner started Markl, quietly, I will come in and help in a minute" he whispered not wanting to wake Sophie, who was still sleeping, her head on his lap, Markl nodded and hurried inside. The air was freezing now, biting at his bare arms and neck, he carefully wrapped the blanket around her and slowly, steadily picked her up into his arms and carried her inside, she stirred but didn't wake. He walked through the kitchen, putting his finger up to his lips gesturing for Markl and Calcifer to be quiet, he carried her up the stairs to their bedroom, pushing back the covers and the blankets and laid her on the bed, taking off her shoes and socks, and carefully pulling the blanket back over her. The moon shining in through the window illuminating her silver hair, she is so beautiful he thought to himself, Howl smiled bending down and kissing her on her forehead and softly whispering something in her ear before returning downstairs to help make dinner.

The kitchen was overheating, Calcifer was blazing much too bright and Markl was running around hopelessly trying to help but not succeeding, Howl hurriedly opened the door and all the windows in the kitchen before they all melted away.

"What is going on in here?" he demanded angrily, Calcifer quickly shrunk down to a reasonable size, hiding down further in the heath, Markl stopped dead in his tracks, "Well, answer me, and don't you try and hide from me Calcifer" Calcifer popped out from the bottom of the heath.

"Markl is trying to kill me!" he grumbled angrily "He almost spilt a whole saucepan of water on me! I could have..." Markl jumped in, interrupting Calcifer "I did not! One droplet landed on you and…"

"Enough! Are you trying to wake Sophie! If so you're doing a great job of it" he whispered furiously, they both bowed their heads guiltily

"Sorry Howl" Markl apologized, his eyes on his feet

"Yeah, me too" piped up Calcifer once again hiding behind the logs in the heath_._ It was rare to receive an apology from Calcifer so Howl silently accepted their apologies, nodded at them and started cooking.

_Sophie was surrounded by blackness, she had no idea where she was, or who she was following, but she was chasing someone, she had to get out of this pitch black nothing. It was freezing, , she couldn't feel anything really, she couldn't feel her bare feet running along the ground, all she could feel was the bitter air stinging on her skin. She called out "Stop! Please stop!" but they didn't stop, she ran faster trying to reach them she held out her arms and grabbed their shirt, it was Howl, she pulled him back "Howl! It's me! It's Sophie!" she kept telling, horror in her voice. She tugged his shirt again; he started to disappear, into ashes, ashes floating away in the darkness. Tears ran down her face, she heard something in the background, it was quieter than the noise of the ashes scattering, whispering, someone was whispering something she couldn't understand._

Sophie awoke flinging herself from her covers, panting heavily she felt her heart it was beating fast, exceedingly fast, she wiped the sweat droplets from her forehead and slipped on her shoes. On the bedside table beside her was a full plate of rashers of bacon and fried eggs, she smiled Howl's favorite thing to cook, or really about the only thing he could cook, it was cold, she picked up the plate and tip toed down the stairs, she wondered if Howl was asleep in his study, sometimes he would fall asleep after practicing a spell, he worked hard, they both did. The kitchen was completely quiet, only the low crackle of the flames could be heard.

"Calcifer" she whispered "where's Howl?" she popped his fiery head out from the heath

"Oh your up Sophie, he's in the yard" he whispered back

"Thanks Calcifer" she replied as she set the plate of food onto the bench and tip toed toward the yard, she turned back around "Has anyone fed her?" she asked him

"Yes! I fed that witch, I refuse to not feed her any longer, a witch really" he continued heatedly his flames burning redder every second, Sophie let out a tired sigh. Knowing he wasn't going to stop, she quickly unlatched the lock and slid out the door into the yard.

The moon was as bright and bold as ever, it's white light shun a luminous trail over the lawn, it was so close, just out of reach. Sophie spotter him over the far edge of the yard, leaning against the cobblestone wall, he too was staring at the moon, he looked quite dapper in his long black trousers and white sleeved shirt, his pitch black hair glistened too. Sophie walked across the yard to him, he flinched at the sound of someone walking toward him, he looked relieved to find it was Sophie, but his expression changed when he saw she was not wearing a coat. "Sophie, you will freeze out here" he exclaimed, pulling her in close, instantly warming her, she smiled at his reaction

"I'm fine" she reassured him, her hands pressed against his chest, she could feel the low quivering of his heart

"You look faint, are you feeling ok?" he asked her, pulling away to get a better look at her, his hands still on her arms, he waited for an answer, questioning her with his eyes.

"I just had a bad dream that's all" she reassured him, again "Stop worrying about me" she stifled a giggle, he opened his mouth to reply but she put one finger to her lips, he couldn't help himself a smile escaped his lips, his eyes looked like they smiled too, a sparkling look in his eyes.  
****

Howl looked into Sophie's warm chocolate brown eyes, her silver hair fell perfectly around her soft features, she smiled up at him, now he was done for he just had to get a kiss, he reached out running his thumb and forefinger down her jaw line and slowly bent his head, their eyes still locked in gaze, her hands still against his chest she stood up on her toes, finally he pressed his lips against hers , quivering her lips against his, he reached his arms out around her waist pulling her in against him, her hands slid up his chest, were she wrapped her arms against around his neck, not breaking the kiss, he deepened the kiss, passionately she responded, eventually they had to let go, although neither of them wanted to, when they finally broke apart she kissed his cheek, resting against his shoulder, he ran his long fingers through her hair, tucking a few strands behind her ear. He still held her close, close enough that he could feel her eye lashes flutter against his neck like tiny butterflies and hear her heart beating, faster than ever, just after midnight. 


End file.
